Our life in the kingdom is not meant to be static. When we are born again, we become babies. There’s something supremely unnatural for babies not to grow and mature. The writer of Hebrews was frustrated with the church for being content to stay babies.

For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the first principles of the oracles of God; and you have come to need milk and not solid food. For everyone who partakes only of milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, for he is a babe. But solid food belongs to those who are of full age, that is, those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil. (Heb 5:12-14)

I believe that a lot of the negative circumstances we find ourselves in is a direct result of our immaturity in the Spirit. When we are young, God has us covered. We can get away with making mistakes because we’re trying to find our feet as believers.

But growth requires that we develop an intimate relationship with God. Jesus demonstrated the time He spent in prayer with the Father. It’s in that relationship that we learn to hear His voice and allow Him to direct us. If we don’t do that, He will allow us fail, not to punish us, but to show us the consequences of not listening to Him.

It get serious the longer we live in the kingdom. A full-grown man who continues to make childish decisions can’t be trusted with anything. The consequences of our lack of faith not only affect ourselves, but the people we should be blessing.

Maturity starts now. It starts by repenting for not being obedient to His word. It starts by wanting to know God in a greater way. Consider a baby’s relationship with its parents verses an adult relationship. There is so much more that we’re called to.

Maturity will keep us safe. When we’ve made a terrible mistake, I guarantee that God tried to warn us, but we either failed to listen, or failed to obey. We have to start walking humbly and obediently in the kingdom, not just for our own sakes, but also for those whose lives we affect.

**************************************************************************The Key of David, by Diana Symons                                                                                             A story that’s been told for thousands of years…  The Bible’s Book 1 Samuel tells the story of David’s life – from an obscure family to an unlikely king, from shepherd to warrior, from champion to king-maker. What does it mean for a man to love God and be loved by Him? This book explores what it means to be human in the light of the Kingdom.